Application program interface for interface computations for models of disparate type

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein for interfacing between a solver and one or more models. Data comprising at least one solver function is received from a solver interface. Data comprising at least one modeling function corresponding to the solver function is provided to a model interface. The presence of an event occurrence is detected based on interface functions. The interface functions are mapped to the at least one solver function and the at least one modeling function. The interface functions are provided to the solver interface to determine a solution. The solution is initiated for rendering on a graphical user interface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for performing a simulation of a physical system by interfacing between a model interface of a physical system and a solver interface of a solver model, the method comprising:
 accessing a virtual object model of a physical object, the virtual object model having the model interface; 
 
       receiving, from a solver interface, data comprising at least one solver function;
 mapping the at least one solver function to at least one modeling function; 
 
       providing, to a model interface, data comprising the at least one modeling function corresponding to the at least one solver function;
 detecting a presence of an event occurrence based on a plurality of interface functions, wherein the plurality of interface functions are mapped to the at least one solver function and the at least one modeling function; 
 providing, to the solver interface, the plurality of interface functions to determine a solution; 
 receiving, from the solver interface, the solution; 
 initiating rendering of the solution on a graphical user interface; and 
 creating or modify the physical object based at least in part on the solution. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the physical system modeled by the model interface is either (i) an integrated circuit having at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal or (ii) a complex system having at least one of a mechanical subcomponent, an electrical subcomponent, a hydraulic subcomponent, a thermal subcomponent, or a controller subcomponent. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the event occurrence is a time event determined based on a predetermined time event point. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the event occurrence is a state event detected based on signal discontinuity of continuous states signaled by a sign change. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the event occurrence is a step event detected based on dynamic state selection. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, based upon the event occurrence being present, the method further comprises receiving, from the model interface, updated data comprising the at least one modeling function. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solver interface is a differential algebraic solver. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the providing occurs for at least one of (i) a start of a simulation, (ii) after an event update, (iii) after more than a predetermined number of steps have occurred since the last event occurrence detection, (iv) when the solution has a convergence failure, and (v) when the solution is divergent. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving, mapping, providing, detecting, receiving, and initiate rendering occurs in a simulation environment. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solver interface is an external integrator. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the model interface is a hardware description language based interface. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the model interface is an object-oriented modeling language based interface. 
     
     
       13. A system for performing a simulation of a physical system by interfacing between a model interface of a physical system and a solver interface of a solver model, the system comprising:
 at least one data processor; and 
 memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one data processor, result in operations comprising:
 accessing a virtual object model of a physical object, the virtual object model having the model interface; 
 receiving, from a solver interface, data comprising at least one solver function; 
 mapping the at least one solver function to at least one modeling function; 
 providing, to a model interface, data comprising the at least one modeling function corresponding to the at least one solver function; 
 detecting a presence of an event occurrence based on a plurality of interface functions, wherein the plurality of interface functions are mapped to the at least one solver function and the at least one modeling function; 
 providing, to the solver interface, the plurality of interface functions to determine a solution; 
 receiving, from the solver interface, the solution; 
 initiating rendering of the solution on a graphical user interface; and 
 wherein the physical object is created or modified based at least in part on the solution. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the physical system modeled by the model interface is either (i) an integrated circuit having at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal or (ii) a complex system having at least one of a mechanical subcomponent, an electrical subcomponent, a hydraulic subcomponent, a thermal subcomponent, or a controller subcomponent. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the event occurrence is a time event determined based on a predetermined time event point. 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the event occurrence is a state event detected based on signal discontinuity of continuous states signaled by a sign change. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the event occurrence is a step event detected based on dynamic state selection. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein, based upon the event occurrence being present, the method further comprises receiving, from the model interface, updated data comprising the at least one modeling function. 
     
     
       19. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the solver interface is a differential algebraic solver. 
     
     
       20. An article of manufacture for performing a simulation of a physical system by interfacing between a modeling interface and a solving interface, the article of manufacture comprising:
 memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one data processor, result in operations comprising:
 accessing a virtual object model of a physical object, the virtual object model having the model interface; 
 receiving, from a solver interface, data comprising at least one solver function; 
 mapping the at least one solver function to at least one modeling function; 
 providing, to a model interface, data comprising the at least one modeling function corresponding to the at least one solver function; 
 detecting a presence of an event occurrence based on a plurality of interface functions, wherein the plurality of interface functions are mapped to the at least one solver function and the at least one modeling function; 
 providing, to the solver interface, the plurality of interface functions to determine a solution; 
 receiving, from the solver interface, the solution; and 
 initiating rendering of the solution on a graphical user interface; 
 wherein the physical object is created or modified based at least in part on the solution.